


Fading Everything to Black and Blue

by misaffection



Category: Primeval
Genre: Episode Related, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-12
Updated: 2013-04-12
Packaged: 2017-12-08 06:50:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/758348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misaffection/pseuds/misaffection
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Missing scene from S5 Ep6. Jess and Lester fight the predators.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fading Everything to Black and Blue

Jess sees the case fall, hears the clatter as it hits the floor. The sound echoes in the small room. Her gaze snaps to Lester – he’s frozen, eyes wide, horror etched on his face. As the echo fades, she can hear other noises – the scratch of claws, the snuffle of a creature straight out of a nightmare.

It comes fast. She’s never seen anything move so quickly. Her shot misses by a mile as it charges at Lester. He falls back under the assault, grabbing one of the empty cases and smacking the predator upside the head. It snarls at him.

“Any time, Jess!” he shouts and she remembers the rifle in her hands. They shake as she aims, but she manages to fire. The bolt hits the predator. It slams into the wall. “Good girl.”

It’s not over, though. She can hear another one coming. Lester grabs the dead rifle and replaces the power pack. Then he looks up, his eyes meeting hers over the bench. His expression is grim, but determined. “Get behind me.”

“But–”

“ _Now_ , Parker.”

She jumps at his tone, then scrambles to obey that order. Lester brings his rifle up. There’s little space between the benches and his frame blocks her in. Jess bites her bottom lip at the realisation he’s prepared to sacrifice himself for her. How much time it’ll gain them, she doesn’t know. Can’t think. Her heart slams in her chest; a homing beacon for the creatures stalking them.

“Lester,” she whispers.

“Just… shoot.” His voice is firm, though she catches the underlying note of fear. “Whatever else happens, just keep shooting.”

There’s a loud snarl, then a blur of grey barrels into the room. Lester opens fire. Most bolts go wide – the predator moves too fast – but then he manages a hit. It falls to the ground, but then there’s another. This time he’s just not quick enough.

Jess screams as Lester goes flying. He crashes onto his back and the predator dives on top of him. His cry of pain makes her flinch. Fear gives way to horrified grief and that to anger. No. She can’t let him end up dead. Bringing her rifle up, she fires at the predator, forcing it to back up and then glances back.

Lester pulls himself up, bleeding heavily from his right side. His eyes are glassy with pain, but he grabs his rifle and fires. The predator collapses. He nods at Jess. “Let’s move.”

Jess thinks that if they can just reach the ops, then she might be able to contact the team. After all, Lester assured her the others aren’t dead. But they don’t get far. Lester is losing too much blood and stumbles. She reaches for him, but he shakes his head.

“Leave me,” he tells her, voice husky. “I’ll just slow you down.”

“No.” She slips an arm around his waist, though there’s no chance she can keep him upright if he truly collapses. “We stick together, yeah? The others… the others are coming. You said so.”

“Jess–”

He gets heavier. She pulls him across the ops room. The column isn’t much of a refuge, but it’s all they have. She guides him down and then sits with her back to the wall. Lester fights a losing battle with consciousness. Jess cradles his head in her lap, watching him drift in and out as the bloody patch on his shirt spreads further.

Lester licks his lips. “The medical bay. Jess… it’ll lock. Go.”

“Not without you.”

“I’m already dead.” His eyes flutter open and he gives her a hard stare, despite his failing strength. “ _Go._ ”

She’s scared to death. Sweat makes her grip on the rifle slippy. But she is not leaving him to those things. Sniffing against the threatening tears, Jess shakes her head. “No.”

It looks like he wants to argue, but simply runs out of energy. His skin is hot and damp with sweat. She removes his tie – and the fact he doesn’t get annoyed at that has to be a sure sign of how bad he – and then loosens his shirt.

All she can do now is wait for the end. She tries to control her breathing as her ears strain for the slightest noise. A distant clatter makes her jump. Lester moans and shifts, but doesn’t really come to.

Something is coming. _Several_ somethings. She can hear breathing and footsteps. Her heart slams into double time. They are going to die. Lester can’t protect her now. He’s going to die despite that brave attempt and she wants to cry. But she tightens her grip on her rifle.

_“Whatever else happens, just keep shooting.”_

She can do that. She has to. It gets closer and the fear is almost choking her, but she will go down fighting, just as Lester did. Light blinds her and then, to so much relief she bursts into tears, she hears a voice.

“Jess.” _Becker._ “It’s okay. You’re okay.”


End file.
